Judge pro tem supports keeping Bachart on Lincoln County bench

April 30, 2020

When I first began practicing law in Lincoln County it took very little time to realize why Judge Sheryl Bachart is so widely respected in our community. I now have the honor of working with Judge Bachart as part of the Lincoln County bench and my respect for her has only grown. Judge Bachart’s work ethic and dedication to our

Oregon governor’s office unveils draft guidelines for how businesses might reopen

April 30, 2020

By DICK HUGHES/Oregon Capital Bureau Gov. Kate Brown’s office has unveiled draft guidelines for how businesses might resume operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines include maintaining strict social distancing and potentially recording customers’ IDs in case health officials need to trace who came in contact with someone infected with the coronavirus. Brown plans a press conference at 10:30

Many counties in rural Oregon are clamoring to reopen but stuck waiting for a signal from the governor

April 30, 2020

By BEN BOTKIN/The Lund Report Officials in rural Oregon are clamoring to reopen. They’ve crafted plans to resume business operations and revive their shuttered economies. But they’re stuck awaiting a green light from Gov. Kate Brown. On April 10, Brown’s office unveiled a draft plan to reopen the state on a gradual basis. The plan envisions each county devising its

Governor announces some relief for Oregon’s new corporate activity tax

April 30, 2020

By PETER WONG/Oregon Capital Bureau Oregon’s tax agency has announced changes intended to help some businesses subject to the state’s new corporate activity tax. A couple of the changes by the Department of Revenue will allow businesses more time to pay if their estimated tax liability is $10,000 or less during the first year of the tax, which took effect

Oregon Health Authority’s coronavirus report for Thursday, April 30

April 30, 2020

Oregon reports two new COVID-19 deaths, 64 new COVID-19 cases PORTLAND — COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 103, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 8 a.m. Thursday. Oregon Health Authority also reported 64 new cases of COVID-19 as of 8 a.m. Thursday bringing the state total to 2,510. The new COVID-19

The number of new jobless claims slow in Lincoln County, but totals remain at historic level

April 30, 2020

The number of unemployed workers in Lincoln County continues to pile up with another 408 people filing jobless claims for the week ending April 25, the Oregon Employment Department announced Thursday. The latest numbers bring the total new unemployment filings for the past six weeks to 3,654 – or almost 18 percent of its total workforce. Statewide, another 28,500

Oregon needs medical swabs to test for the coronavirus, but global supply chain problems and a federal ‘runaround’ are frustrating that plan

April 30, 2020

By NICK BUDNICK/Oregon Capital Bureau If Oregon pandemic officials had a TV show these last two months, it could be called “In Search of Swabs” — and just about every episode would be deeply unsatisfying. Public records show that over the last six weeks, state officials have battled repeated bureaucratic obstacles in trying to obtain needed swabs and other testing

Oregon governor tells state agencies to start preparing for big budget cuts

April 29, 2020

By PETER WONG/Oregon Capital Bureau State agencies have been told to prepare spending cuts that may amount to 8.5% of their share of the tax-supported general fund in the next two years. The proposed cuts, which Gov. Kate Brown has directed state budget officials to compile by May 8, would add up to just under $2 billion. They also would

Samaritan opens COVID-19 testing site in Waldport, its second in Lincoln County

April 29, 2020

WALDPORT — Samaritan Health Services on Wednesday opened a second drive-through coronavirus testing site at its clinic on Range Drive in Waldport as it ramps up the number of tests it is able to conduct. Previously the only testing site in Lincoln County was at Samaritan’s clinic in Depoe Bay. While Samaritan is the only health provider in Lincoln County

Oregon Health Authority’s coronavirus report for Wednesday, April 29

April 29, 2020

Oregon reports two new COVID-19 deaths, 61 new COVID-19 cases PORTLAND, Ore.— COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 101, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Oregon Health Authority also reported 61 new cases of COVID-19 as of 8 a.m. Wednesday bringing the state total to 2,446. The new COVID-19